Water quality in Taranaki

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Water quality in Taranaki is a notable environmental issue for many stakeholders with concerns about the potential impact from dairy farming in New Zealand and petrochemical industries. [1]

Environmental issue harmful effects of human activitity on the biophysical environment

Environmental issues are harmful effects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the natural environment on individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the environment and humans. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.

Dairy farming in New Zealand

Dairy farming in New Zealand began from small beginnings during the early days of colonisation by Europeans. The New Zealand dairy industry is based almost exclusively on cattle, with a total population of 4.8 million milking cows as of 2017. The income from dairy farming is now a major part of the New Zealand economy, becoming an NZ$13.4 billion industry by 2017.

Contents

Water resources in Taranaki are under the jurisdiction of the Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) under the Resource Management Act (RMA), and discharges to water require a resource consent. The TRC monitors waterway quality and publishes update reports. [2]

Taranaki Region of New Zealand in North Island

Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island, administered by the Taranaki Regional Council. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki.

Resource Management Act 1991 New Zealand law promoting sustainable management of natural and physical resources

The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zealand's Ministry for the Environment describes the RMA as New Zealand's principal legislation for environmental management.

A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act. Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans. Any activities that are not permitted by the RMA, or by a rule in a plan, require a resource consent before they are carried out.

Nationally, deterioration in freshwater quality has been associated with increases in dairy cattle numbers and in use of nitrogen fertiliser. [3] TRC advise that dairying had not increased in Taranaki since 2000 and water quality is good and getting better. [4] In 2015, the dairy cow population was 493,361, a 2.5% increase on 1998/99, with density of 2.85 cows per hectare (2.8 in 1998/99). [5]

A review by Fish & Game and Forest & Bird found that many measures intended to control pollutants from dairying had not been implemented. [6] In Taranaki, there are 1400 dairy sheds where the dairy effluent drains into streams instead of being sprayed to land, according to data from Taranaki Regional Council's 2012 State of the Environment report. [7] In 2012, the president of the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society expressed surprise at the number of consented dairy discharges to streams, given most other regional councils prosecute dairy farmers who allow dairy effluent to enter waterways. [8]

Fish and Game New Zealand organization

Fish and Game New Zealand is the collective brand name of 12 regional Fish and Game Councils and the New Zealand Fish and Game Council which administer sports fishing and gamebird resources in New Zealand. Fish and Game Councils are regionally autonomous bodies, which are governed by elected Fish and Game councillors, who are elected every three years by adult full season license-holders across the respective region. The New Zealand Fish and Game Council is made up of one representative from each of the regional councils. Councils employ managers and staff, and the New Zealand Fish and Game Council employs a director; the role is currently held by Bryce Johnson.

Forest & Bird, also known by its formal name as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc., is an environmental organisation specialising in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous flora and fauna and unique wild places and natural ecosystems. Forest & Bird consists of 47 branches located in urban and rural centres throughout New Zealand. Branches are actively engaged in conservation projects and advocacy on a community, regional and national basis. Forest & Bird has offices and staff located in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson and Dunedin. Forest & Bird publishes a quarterly magazine Forest & Bird, one of New Zealand's definitive natural history and conservation publications.

Instances of high levels of E.coli have been reported during summer periods. [9] [10] [11]

Water quality measurements

The following table shows average of measurements over the period 2005 to 2014. [12]

Parameter Taranaki New Zealand Comment
Total nitrogen, g/m³ 0.95 1.17 All organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen. Nitrogen can cause algal blooms.
Phosphorus, g/m³ 0.062 0.065 All forms of phosphorus, dissolved and particulate, organic and inorganic. Can come from waste water or agricultural run-off and can cause eutrophication.
Sediment, m 2.06 2.02 Black disc parameter measures water clarity. A larger number means the water has greater clarity.
E.coli, CFU/100ml 897 1,125 Escherichia coli is a common type of bacteria. High concentrations (>550) indicate faecal contamination which can be harmful to humans.
Sites 11 838 Count of the number of water monitoring sites.
Monitoring density, km²/site 659 320 Taranaki has relatively few monitoring sites on a per km² basis.

Graphs, 2005–2014

Graphs of Taranaki water parameters, 2005–2014
Graph of Taranaki water clarity, 2005-2014 TaranakiWater BlackDisc2014.svg
Graph of Taranaki water clarity, 2005–2014
Graph of Taranaki water clarity, 2005–2014 
Graph of Taranaki E.coli measurements, 2005-2014 TaranakiWater Ecoli2014.svg
Graph of Taranaki E.coli measurements, 2005–2014
Graph of Taranaki E.coli measurements, 2005–2014 
Graph of Taranaki water nitrogen measurements, 2005-2014 TaranakiWater Nitrogen2014.svg
Graph of Taranaki water nitrogen measurements, 2005–2014
Graph of Taranaki water nitrogen measurements, 2005–2014 
Graph of Taranaki water phosphorus measurements, 2005-2014 TaranakiWater Phosphorus2014.svg
Graph of Taranaki water phosphorus measurements, 2005–2014
Graph of Taranaki water phosphorus measurements, 2005–2014 
Data from 838 monitoring sites across New Zealand [12]


See also

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References

  1. ↑ Hutching, Gerard (11 February 2016). "Environment ministry CEO Vicky Robertson tests the waters". Taranaki Daily News.
  2. ↑ "Healthy report for region's rivers". Taranaki Regional Council. September 2014.
  3. ↑ Environment Aotearoa 2015. Ministry for the Environment, Statistics New Zealand. October 2015. ISBN   978-0-478-41298-7.
  4. ↑ Keith, Keighton (27 October 2015). "Taranaki bucking the national trend in worsening water quality: Regional Council". Taranaki Daily News.
  5. ↑ State of the Environment Report 2015. Taranaki Regional Council. June 2015. ISBN   978-0-473-32921-1.
  6. ↑ Deans, Neil; Hackwell, Kevin (October 2008). "Dairying and Declining Water Quality" (PDF). Forest and Bird.
  7. ↑ Stewart, Rachel (10 December 2012). "Woe betide those who question our water quality". Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 11 December 2012. Taranaki has 1400 cow sheds discharging effluent into streams.
  8. ↑ Harvey, Helen (11 December 2012). "Taranaki Farmers' Effluent Policy Surprises Scientist". Taranaki Daily News. Retrieved 11 December 2012. The New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society president Waikato University Professor David Hamilton said many other regional councils prosecute anyone who discharges into waterways.
  9. ↑ Freshwater contact recreational water quality at Taranaki sites (PDF). State of the Environment Monitoring Report 2014-2015 Technical Report 2015-01. Taranaki Regional Council. June 2015.
  10. ↑ Shaskey, Tara (2 January 2016). "High levels of E coli found at Waiwhakaiho River and Te Henui Stream". Taranaki Daily News.
  11. ↑ Harvey, Helen (13 February 2016). "Swimmers are advised to avoid the Timaru Stream near Oakura". Taranaki Daily News.
  12. 1 2 "Raw data". Land and Water Forum. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
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